Page 61 - RICHERT VS. SORKIN THEFT OF THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT AND THE WEST WING

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documents and information provided by the writers. The PRB affiimed the Special Committee's finding that unusual circumstances existed because, among
other things, "The President Elopes" and 'The Amarican President" projects were initially developed independently of one another and merged at a later date. The PBB found that there was no misirrterpretation, misapplication or violation of Guild policy in tlre decision reached by the Spocial Committee regarding the irreducibia shrred story credit rule, which the Guild's credits systom does not
consider rigid or inflexible. The PRB also found that the Special Committee appropriately considered the Team's position concerning the "presumption of access" rule in reaching its conclusions. Despite the Team's characterization of what Mr. Sorkin's representativa may lrave stated to the special committee, the PRB found that the arbitration committee correctly pregumed Mr. Sorkin's access
to the work of several prior writers, including the Team's.
2. Alleged Violation that the Arbitration Process was Tainted by the Special Committee's Decision
The Team claimed that the entire arbitration process was tainted by the Special Committee's decision to waive the "irreducible shared story credit" rule. lt is their posiiion that the Arbitration Committee was prejudiccd against giving them story credit by the Special Committee's instructions to suspond the "irreducible
shared story credit" rule in determining the writing credits.
The PRB found no evidence to suppon this allegation. The PRB noted that even though the "irreducible shared story credit" rule was waived, the Arbitration Committce determined the "story" credit in accordance with the definition of "Etory' es stated in the Screen Cradite Manual snd the Basic Agrccment. Thc PRB aiso concluded that the arbirers properly apptied the Special Csmmittee's instructions to determine the.story credit on the trasis of the written materialg w,hicn wete sequenced in strict chronological order, Tho Team recaivcd the